The present invention relates to content information gathering devices, and, more particularly, to a method, system and apparatus to increase the composition quality of content information gathered by such devices.
The invention has been developed primarily for use with video and audio capture and recording devices, and will be described herein with reference to these applications. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to these fields.
There exists a relatively large number of devices for collecting content information such as sounds and images. These devices are frequently used in conjunction with a recording device to provide a combined collecting and recording apparatus. Examples of such combined apparatus include video cameras, digital still cameras, audio tape recorders, 3D image recorders and motion capture systems. Alternatively, content collection devices can be used in conjunction with processing devices that process the gathered content and then pass the processed information to another device. Examples of such processing devices include audio or video mixing desks, and electronic processors.
Over time, the faithfulness with which content collection devices have gathered content has steadily improved. Whilst physical, optical and mechanical advancements have provided much of this improvement, electronic assistance has also contributed greatly.
An example of the improvements in useability offered by electronic enhancements is the photographic camera. Early mechanical cameras required the user to have a relatively good understanding of the mechanisms of image production on film. This included the need for detailed knowledge about lighting, shutter speed, and aperture settings for various photograph and film types. Initially, even such relatively simple factors as available light required an estimate based on a subjective assessment by the experienced user. For these reasons, good technical reproduction film was only obtainable by professionals and knowledge amateurs, since it required much practice and experience.
In contrast, many modern cameras are equipped with electronic instruments which measure the available light and automatically adjust aperture and speed settings, taking into account the film type. As a result, the technical quality of photographs taken with modern cameras is, on average, much higher than that of older mechanical cameras, particularly for the relatively inexperienced amateur.
Whilst the technical reproduction aspects of amateur photography have improved over time, the composition, or arrangement, of subjects within captured frames has not generally improved. Even experienced amateur photographers still take shots that leave portions of the subject out of frame (eg, a person""s head), take multiple pan shots which do not line up and so on. Even setting aside more subtle aesthetic or artistic aspects, the ability of professional photographers to correctly compose a photograph means that professionally taken photographs are still, on average, superior to those of amateurs.
Whilst particularly applicable to photography, the problems of composition are relevant to other areas where content information is gathered. An example is the area of audio recording. In the past, the recording of music was confined to expensive studios, and professional producers and engineers capable of correctly composing a number of available channels of sound into a xe2x80x9cmixxe2x80x9d to produce a master recording.
However, with rapid advancements in digital technology, relatively small operators can now buy and operate equipment that was previously restricted to the professional user. Whilst the cheaper equipment is capable of relatively high recording quality, often the composition of recorded material into a completed recording will still be of relatively low quality, due to a lack of experience and knowledge on the part of the amateur operator.
Accordingly, a need exists for a method and apparatus that overcomes one or more of the disadvantages associated with quality composition of content information collected by content collecting devices. A need exists for adding value, in a predetermined manner, to the content information.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided content gathering apparatus comprising:
content collecting means for gathering content information;
communication means for uploading to the enhanced gathering apparatus at least one template, wherein the template comprises a plurality of template instruction;
processing means for executing the template instructions for providing composition instructions for enhancing a composition of the gathered content information and/or provide user selection options;
memory storage means for storing the template and for storing the gathered content information; and
user interface means for displaying the user selection providing option.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of enhancing gathered information comprising the steps of:
uploading at least one template comprising a plurality of template instructions;
receiving at least one form of content information;
executing the template instructions to generate composition instructions based on the captured content information; and
enhancing a composition of the content information in accordance with the composition instructions.
Preferably, the user interface means include buttons for a user to select a desired selection option and the composition instructions are relayed to the user through a display panel device. Alternatively, at least some of the composition instruction are in the form of machine code which can directly or indirectly control hardware (e.g. content collecting unit such as charged coupled devices (CCDs) transducers etc.) to affect the composition of the gathered content information.
In accordance with a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for enhancing composition of gathered content information, the system including:
content collecting means for gathering content information;
template storage means for storing at least one template including a plurality of template instructions;
processing means for implementing the template instructions; and
a user interface for displaying information to user of the apparatus, wherein the template instructions when executed provide composition suggestions to a user of the content gathering apparatus in relation to enhancing composition of the content information collected, the composition suggestions being provided to the user via the user interface.
Preferably, the suggestions are generated at least in part on the basis of the content information gathered.
In accordance with a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer program product having a computer readable medium having a computer program recorded thereon for enhancing gathered information, the computer program product comprising:
means for uploading at least one template comprising a plurality of template instructions;
means for receiving at least one form of content information;
means for executing the template instructions to generate composition instructions based on the received content information; and
means for enhancing a composition of the content information in accordance with the composition instructions.